Succeeding differently: Moving from performance to impact, from Anne-Laure Marcadet
Who doesn't dream of success? Everyone wants to have a rich life. But rich in what? Money, love, challenges, achievements? We all have different aspirations that will allow us to say that we have succeeded in life, and not only in life.
Is the same true in organizations?
Currently, success is still often associated with achieving financial results. A company succeeds and performs if it allows its shareholders and investors to enrich themselves financially.
BROADEN THE NOTION OF PERFORMANCE
But what about other forms of performance? We often forget that a company's performance can also be measured at other levels:
At the customer level: Does our customer experience measure up? Are our products meeting the need?
At the employee level: Do our employees have everything they need to do their jobs? Are they doing their best not to burn out? Are they mobilized and do they have the desire to work together?
At the ecosystem, community level: What is the footprint at the social level? At the economic level? How does the company ensure that it is sustainably supporting the community?
THE IMPORTANCE OF MEASUREMENT
In order for the entire management team to have a common vision of what performance is, it is important for each sector to share success indicators related to the company's overall objectives.
The HR Director may therefore include indicators related to absenteeism, commitment or turnover rate. Or make sure that employee performance measurement is not just a one-way annual interview based on technical skills alone.
The department in charge of community support and philanthropic development will be able to implement a more detailed analysis of the non-profit organizations to be supported, particularly in terms of the number of people helped or the quality of services offered.
Why is it so important to talk about it at all levels? Because the risks of not talking about it are even greater.
RISKS OF NOT TALKING ABOUT PERFORMANCE
Indeed, not talking about it, not having indicators and even fewer common objectives means that each manager, each employee will create his/her own conception of what performance is and define his/her own indicators of success. In this way, there is a risk of a lack of internal coherence and cohesion.
IMPLEMENT THE CONCEPT OF IMPACT
There are, however, some sectors where the very notion of performance is poorly perceived because it has a connotation associated with financial results. In the public, community or philanthropic sectors, the notion of performance is not very present. And when it is used, leaders often overlook other dimensions related to the client/user/member and employee experience.
But it is by assessing itself that a non-profit organization can verify that it is still making a difference in people's lives.
For this reason, the notion of impact makes it possible to better represent what is happening in these sectors.
The concept of impact has the advantage of going beyond the simplistic notion of performance and integrating all the levels that make it up.
This allows a broader vision of its success by ensuring that the right questions are asked about all of an organization's issues and stakeholders.
In conclusion, whatever the terms used, talking about performance or impact in one's organization aims to ensure that teams are all working in the same direction, with the same enthusiasm. An organization focused solely on the financial aspect will not boost the enthusiasm of its clients, members and employees.
Conversely, an organization focused solely on the well-being of clients or members will not be able to ensure its sustainability if it does not put in place a rigorous management system, financial management in particular.